One Man's Throwback Proposal (M and ND)
In September 2011, Michigan should wear 1948 jerseys, including matching numbers corresponding to each position. Notre Dame should do the same, but their year should be 1949. Each won a MNC in their respective years (M's was a controversial vote with ND on top of that), and each jersey is somewhat different from today's model.
Michigan would wear long sleeved jerseys with different style numbers, and could even go back to the more yellow Maize for the numbers and pants:
Notre Dame could wear long sleeve green with gold pants, as shown in this 1950 magazine:
Michigan would require one tackle to change their historically corresponding number away from 11, but no other retired numbers were used on the 1948 roster. Notre Dame would not have to change any because they have never retired a number. Long sleeves would not be much of an issue IMO, the average A2 temperature in September is somewhere between 58-(Edit:) 72 degrees and it will be a night game.
This is the best idea I can think of to bridge the gap between the RAWK music, as JeepinBen put it, and the "Get off my lawn" crowd. To put it in terms DB would understand, I think a lot of people would buy the 1948 jersey due to color changed, long sleeves and the intangibles that get fans to buy throwbacks.
Number changing would get really confusing but other than that I like this plan
I thought about that, but I came to the conclusion that a) it's one game, which keeps getting said about whatever ridiculous jersey they'll end up wearing and b) how big of a deal is it to anyone not reading a UFR? It'll be pretty easy to tell who Denard is whether he's wearing 16, 61, or whatever.
You worked for Addida's!
I'm certainly no professional with sports apparel, and everyonemurderspeople has a good point that the colors could be too close. M's look lighter than the Navy used in modern times, and ND could possibly go a shade lighter to make it easier on the eyes without compromising their jersey too much.
Also, the poster (forgot who but I did +1 you) who brought up the lineman problem has a good point. Maybe if the long sleeves were really tightly fit on the actual jersey, but looser on the replica?
In the end I'm just one fan being pushed towards the "down in front" crowd daily.
We can't stand for these frilly new helmets with facemasks. MANBALL means you wear a leather condom on your head and no more. If we're going throwback why would we want to half-ass it.
I would also propose that 75% of the play runs by each team have to be running plays and 80% of all plays are either run out of the wishbone/wing t/or I-formation double TE.
I'm not sure I would want to wear a long sleeve jersey in the early September heat, much less while playing football. I do like this idea, as it actually IS a throwback. However, part of me wants to see something more different than just long sleeves. I think if done right, the block M on the front would be cool, if we could get around putting numbers on the front.
It's a night game. It won't be as hot. Still not the best situation, but much better.
Yes, I realized that shortly after posting.... Not used to this whole "night game" thing
I love the long sleeve jersey idea but I don't think it would work now, especially for OL, who today try and get their sleeves as tight as possible to the arm so d-lineman don't have anything to grab onto.
Not saying it couldn't be a problem though.
First of, I also love this Idea. I'm not sure how the Blue on Green would look/work, but I like the idea of using historically accurate uniforms.
I think long sleeve jerseys are a huge possibility and here's all we'd need to do:
For the PLAYERS:
Change the number font, lose the name on the back, and include a matching undershirt. The arm sleeves on this OSU (ntOSU) uniform are on a stretch fit undershirt:
We just give everyone a long sleeve or 3/4 sleeve undershirt that matches the jersey. The actual jerseys wont BE all that different, but they'll LOOK different. This eliminates the problem for O-linemen/holding/etc.
For the $$/Fans:
Make actual long sleeve jerseys to sell. Even the fanciest "Authentic" jersey you get in the store isnt the actual fit or material that the players wear on Saturdays. So they could sell "Real!!!" "Throwback!!!" jerseys and charge whatever they wanted and they will LOOK the same as what the players wore
I love the long sleeve jersey idea but I don't think it would work now, especially for OL, who today try and get their sleeves as tight as possible to the arm so d-lineman don't have anything to grab onto.
blue and dark green are too close on the color wheel.
Especially at night. ND is going to have to wear white.
I thought that rule was repealed after the USC/UCLA game a few seasons ago. I think it was Carrol's last season, he had his team where their home jerseys when "at" UCLA.
UCLA wears light blue home jerseys, USC a dark red. Those are significantly different enough colors not to cause any confusion.
Dark green and dark blue OTOH....different story.
ND would likely have to go towards their mascot color, and we would have to move towards the lighter Navy shown in the '48 picture. I'd rather tweak the coloration (especially if it's also historically accurate for M) than wear some of the stuff we've seen talked about.
I thought that is what the rule was changed to, as long as the coloring was different enough for the home team the visiting wouldn't face a penalty. The penalty was the loss of a time out per half if I remember correctly.
So I take it, its not yellow jerseys then?
I think ND could theoretically wear green uniforms, but I don't think they will, to avoid having two dark-uniformed teams playing at night. That could be problematic.
Horace Prettyman doesn't approve.
I like the longsleeve jersey idea, but it might look a little weird with pads underneath. I think the number idea would be a little too confusing for everyone (coaches included).
BTW, our 1948 vote was not the controversial one. It was 1947, Crisler's last year. That was the year we beat USC 49-0 in the Rose Bowl and were voted #1 in an unprecedented post-bowl vote. Both teams claim the '47 title, but in 1948 we were the undisputed #1.
Well undisputed in that the AP voted us #1. ND and UM were both unbeaten and it came down to the sportswriters voting for (a bowless) M over ND.
Actually, I mean it's undisputed in that ND genuinely doesn't dispute the outcome. They don't claim a national title that year because they were never voted #1. (ND, to their credit, does not claim any titles after 1936 in which they weren't voted #1, unlike some schools.)
1947 is different. At the end of the regular season, ND was #1 and Michigan was #2. After the bowls, for the first time ever, a post-bowl vote was taken and we flip-flopped with them. ND maintains to this day that that vote was illegitimate and claims the 1947 title, while we uphold its legitimacy and claim it ourselves. It's an interesting dispute. Both schools have valid points.
that "throwback jerseys" would not look appreciably different from the modern version. .
Adidas could come up with some space age long sleeve material that actually makes players cooler while still being skin tight.
FWIW, this is the best throwback idea I've heard.
But isn't one team required to wear white? I'm not 100% but I'm pretty sure that's the case.
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The rule was changed in 09-10 to state that the visiting team needed written permission before the game to wear a colored jersey, and the B1G would have final say on whether the jerseys contrasted.
ND would have to go more towards their mascot color for this to work, but it seems like it could be feasible.
Wasnt this as a result of USC and UCLA for a game in the Rose Bowl?
I think ND should wear those same exact helmets from the cover of that magazine...of course our helmets would remain the same.
I vote for this one from 1922 according to the Bentley Image Bank:
Look at that stud.
Or possibly this one from 1899 . ..
Long sleeved jerseys = the worst idea ever...Seriously? maybe we should play without face masks also...unbelieveable
Nothing would make me happier than to run out in our same uniforms, to Brian Kelly's surprise, and have Hoke mention to the on-the-field reporter that our uniforms have remained fundamentally the same for decades - so the normal uniforms are inherently throwbacks.
We should really just use this as leverage to get Notre Dame in the ugliest, crappiest looking uniforms they can agree to and piss them off as we wear the greatest uniforms in college football under the lights.
As I posted on a diary entry, I like the one on the top, but I'm not too sure about the bottom one.
wow! that maize one doesn't look too bad if you get the color right!